News Archives - Page 65 of 66 - Team2Soft

12
Feb

We hope you’re ready for a rather interesting month for smartphones. Judging from the teasers, announcements and leaks, nearly all the major mobile players have something big to show in Barcelona next week. What you’re looking at above is HTC’s own next big thing, a new flagship smartphone that’s doing the rumor rounds under the codename of M8. Looks familiar, right? However, there’s already some notable changes, including an increase to three Android buttons, which are all now part of the screen. Having said that, according to mob.hr’s leak, a bar with HTC branding means the screen will still takes up the same proportion of the phone’s surface. Thankfully, the M8 appears to be made of metal just like last year’s One, with the same micro-drilled holes for the speakers. According to this leak, expect a flip-top cover to go along with it too — presumably with peep-holes for both of those rear-facing cameras.

11
Feb

Do you want a social network that can truly improve your real-life?PhoneDog Media is providing a sneak peek to iM5 – the “Do It” Social Network. See the video

The HTC M8 has been in the spotlight lately as the subject of rumor after rumor. This time, its little brother the HTC M8 mini gets its 15 minutes. The latest leak provides the specs for the smaller counterpart to the future HTC flagship. And with word that HTC will be focusing more on the mid-range market, I expected the M8 mini to rock. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem all that impressive to me.

According to @evleaks, the device will feature a 4.5-inch 720p display, a 1.4GHz quad core Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage (with a microSD slot), a rear facing 13MP camera, a front facing 5MP camera, WiFi a/b/g/n/AC, Bluetooth 4.0 and KitKat 4.4.2 with a Sense 6.0 overlay. Just like its bigger brother, it will have on-screen buttons.

Personally, I think these specs are far from impressive. A 4.5-inch display isn’t exactly “mini,” and knowing HTC, the device will be the size of a Galaxy S4 but thicker. Plus, the Snapdragon 400 and 720p display match the original HTC One mini specs. It isn’t much of an improvement over last year’s model, though the same can be argued about the HTC M8.

These specs are awfully close to what the Moto G offers, and it’s sold for $200. Unless HTC can price the device very low (which it won’t), this device will be underwhelming. However, this is just my opinion. Let us know yours in the comments! Is this HTC M8 mini a good mini flagship, or is it just another mid-tier phone bound to be overpriced?

10
Feb

If you’re eager to get an officially sanctioned glimpse at Nokia’s rumored Android cellphone, you may not have to wait long. Sources speaking to the Wall Street Journalclaim that Nokia will unveil the low-end handset, currently nicknamed Normandy, at Mobile World Congress later this month. The tipsters haven’t shed new light on the hardware itself, but they support beliefs that the device’s customized interface will revolve around Microsoft and Nokia services while stripping out Google content. If the leak is accurate, Microsoft may be in an awkward position once it closes its acquisition of Nokia’s phone business — it might have to sell a phone using the very platform it has been trying to destroy.

09
Feb

Microsoft is currently preparing its first major update to Windows Phone 8. A highly requested Notification Center feature will be included with Windows Phone 8.1, allowing users to customize and control their app notifications. Winphollowers has publishedscreenshots from an internal Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, detailing the new Notification Center in Windows Phone 8.1 The Verge can confirm these are genuine screenshots of Windows Phone 8.1.

MICROSOFT CALLS IT ACTION CENTER

In the first screenshot, the Notification Center, or “Action Center” as Microsoft is labelling it, is shown when you take a short swipe from the top of the screen. This will display four basic quick settings that are shortcuts to options like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other system settings. All four are customizable, and the basic Action Center also displays the date and a battery level percentage. If you pull down further on the Notification Center, a full “Action Center” is displayed. The second leaked screenshot shows how toasts and notifications from apps are collected in the full version of Action Center, and they can also be silently added, updated, and deleted in this view.

Click for larger image

This latest screenshot leak follows a previous example showing the separate volume controls for Windows Phone 8.1. Microsoft is finally splitting volume controls for ringer / notifications and media / apps in the upcoming update. It’s a minor addition, but a highly requested feature from Windows Phone users. Microsoft is also building its own “Cortana” personal assistant into Windows Phone 8.1. Foursquare, Bing, and other data sources will help power the service, and it’s expected to be unveiled alongside all of Windows Phone 8.1’s features at the Build developer conference in April.

08
Feb

The hashtag #SochiProblems has been popular on Twitter in the last few days and even sparked its own Twitter handle after visitors to the Russian city were less than thrilled with their accommodations.

08
Feb

You no longer have to grab one of Firefox’s ever-changing nightly builds to try the browser’s new Australis interface ahead of its official launch. Mozilla has justreleased a new Aurora version that includes Australis’ simpler, more customizable layout; it also brings the easier, account-based sync system. The new Firefox edition is still quite rough, but curious web surfers who were only waiting for more reliable code can start downloading today.

Front and Back View

Getting Bigger

Apple is rumored to launch two new iPhones later this year: one with a screen larger than 4.5 inches and one with a screen larger than 5 inches.

Comparisons

Ciccarese’s vision for an iPhone with a 5.5-inch display (1,568 x 878 pixels) as well as one with a 4.7-inch (1,338 x 750) display. The 4-inch iPhone 5S (1,138 x 649) is shown to the left.

Side by Side

The move from the iPhone 4-inch display would dip into the much-debated “phablet” category.

The Curve

Designer Federico Ciccarse opted to give his concepts a curved back, even though The Wall Street Journal indicated the coming models will be flat.

Apple might be rolling out a larger iPhone later this year, but designer Federico Ciccarse didn’t want to wait to see what a big-screen iPhone would look like.

Ciccarse created a series of concept photos that reveal what the iPhone could look like if it grows in size. Last month, The Wall Street Journalreported Apple will launch two new iPhones in the second half of 2014: one with a screen larger than 4.5 inches and one with a screen larger than 5 inches. The current iPhone 5S and 5C have screens that measure 4 inches diagonally.

The picture below is Ciccarese’s vision for an iPhone with a 5.5-inch display (1,568 x 878 pixels) as well as one with a 4.7-inch (1,338 x 750) display. The 4-inch iPhone 5S (1,138 x 649) is shown to the left.

The move from the iPhone 4-inch display would dip into the much-debated “phablet” category, a vague domain caught somewhere between a tablet and smartphone. It’s either a category people love — or love to hate. But Apple competitors such as Samsung have successfully offered larger screen sizes.

Ciccarese opted to give his concepts a curved back, even though the Journal report indicated the coming models will be flat.

07
Feb

Microsoft’s $15 million investment in Foursquare will soon result in product changes in the coming months. Bloomberg News reports that the deal will be used for location data and services that are part of Microsoft’s upcoming Windows Phone 8.1 update. The software maker is currently beta testing a “Cortana” personal assistant in Windows Phone 8.1, named after the same character found in Halo. Foursquare’s data will help Cortana push out tips, discounts, and suggestions based on location.

While Microsoft isn’t commenting on Windows Phone 8.1 or Cortana, Microsoft’s Zig Serafin has revealed to Bloomberg News that Foursquare’s data will be used in future Windows Phone software. “We’re building some contextually aware experiences to power some upcoming products in Windows Phone,” Serafin said. “This will be for anywhere you get a Bing-powered experience.” Some recent rumors had suggested Cortana would be restricted to the US market initially, but it appears Microsoft will likely bring the personal assistant to countries where Bing is present.

Microsoft’s Cortana work in Windows Phone 8.1 is largely focused on context, rules, and signals. Data from alarms, calendar, weather apps, calls, and even whether a device is charging, can all be fed into the service to provide notifications and context around Windows Phone use. Early screenshots of Microsoft’s Cortana system showed that the company is testing location polling, and pulling data from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Home and work location data, and favorite contacts will also play a big part in Cortana, providing more relevant and improved search results.

CORTANA COMING TO WINDOWS PHONE 8.1 IN APRIL

The voice-activated personal assistant is expected to debut in April as part of Windows Phone 8.1. Microsoft is still beta testing Windows Phone 8.1, and the software is expected to be finalized next month ahead of the Build developers conference in April. Microsoft is planning to release Windows Phone 8.1 to developers at Build or soon after, with updates coming to existing devices in the weeks and months following April. Nokia is currently preparing at least two Windows Phone 8.1 devices, codenamed Goldfinger and Moneypenny. The Finnish smartphone maker is planning a press event at Mobile World Congress later this month, but sources familiar with Nokia and Microsoft’s plans have revealed to The Verge that Windows Phone 8.1 devices will not be shown.

Microsoft is also holding its own Mobile World Congress press event on February 23rd. Windows executives will be in attendance, but we understand Microsoft isn’t planning to fully detail Windows Phone 8.1 at the show. It’s more likely that Microsoft will focus on Windows Phone momentum, and possibly unveil new Windows Phone partners for 2014. Sony has been rumored to be preparing a Windows Phone device, and any confirmation of that speculation at Mobile World Congress could help soften the blow ofSony’s VAIO sell off. Microsoft could also choose to highlight, at a high level, its plans for Windows Phone in 2014 and beyond, including its work towards merging Windows Phone and Windows RT.

07
Feb

Many gamers are frustrated with publishers that like to release franchise sequels every one to two years, regardless of the quality — just ask the Battlefield 4 players stillgrappling with bugs. Activision is clearly aware of the problem, however. It justannounced that Modern Warfare 3 creator Sledgehammer Games will become the third studio regularly producing Call of Duty titles, joining Infinity Ward and Treyarch. The new rotation gives each developer three years to finish a COD game instead of two; they’ll have “more time to polish” without interrupting the yearly release cycle, according to publishing chief Eric Hirshberg. The addition won’t please those who’d rather see more original games, but it’s good news for fans worried that Activision might cut corners to ship its first-person shooters on time.

07
Feb

Oliver Emberton has written a video game strategy guide for real life. It’s mostly common sense: you need to eat, sleep, and manage your time wisely lest you regret it. But by recasting such wisdom for those familiar with video games, Emberton has managed to create a remarkably concise, sensical guide for a new generation of players.

Gems include childhood:

“The first 15 years or so of life are just tutorial missions, which suck. There’s no way to skip these.”

And willpower:

“If your state gets too low in one area, your body will disobey your own instructions until your needs are met. Try studying when you’re exhausted and hungry, and watch your concentration switch to Twitter.”

But the primary lesson is this:

“You might not realise, but real life is a game of strategy. There are some fun mini-games – like dancing, driving, running, and sex – but the key to winning is simply managing your resources.”